On May 18, 2017, the Alaska Police Standards Council announced that state and local law enforcement officers are not allowed to participate in the Alaskan marijuana industry, stating that it is “incompatible with the law enforcement profession.”

Although recreational marijuana is legal in Alaska, it still remains a banned substance under federal law; and Alaska law enforcement officers are still expected to abide by federal law, even if they don’t enforce all of its statutes.

“If a certified officer engages in the cultivation and/or sale of marijuana, the Council will immediately act to revoke his or her certificate. Revocation of certification results in the officer being barred from serving as an officer for any agency in Alaska,” said Bob Griffiths, executive director of the APSC, in a press release.

According to Alaska Dispatch News, the issue was raised at an ASPC meeting where Griffiths was asked for guidance on possible police participation in the Alaskan marijuana industry.

“We kind of got word that there might be individuals that were considering that as an option for a second career, so to speak,” Griffiths said. “So we thought it’d be a good idea to be proactive.”